Early Entry Incentive Ends July 31, Special Invitation To Eastport Yacht Club Cocktail Fundraiser To Be Held For The Melges 24 Worlds

Time is ticking as the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship draws closer and the early entry deadline approaches. The Eastport Yacht Club is ready to put its best cocktail party forward in benefit and recognition to everyone contributing to the event.

Competitors are reminded that the early entry deadline of Friday, July 31 is only a couple days away. Register Online Sooner Rather Than Later (crew lists do not need to be confirmed to register.) Also, be sure to visit and bookmark the Official Event Website. View theList Of Current Entries.

TICK, TICK, TICK... 
Time flies. The Melges 24 World Championship at Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) is now less than three months away, with the first day of the week-long event scheduled for October 23. Already, 20 teams out of an expected 80+ from around the world have registered, making them eligible for a special, early-entry prize.

Official EYC photographer Cindy Cady is donating a customized hard-cover, coffee table photo book of the Worlds to one skipper whose entry arrives by July 31. The contest winner also gets Cady’s personalized DVD of all the images of his or her boat taken during racing. So get your entry in quickly — you can Register Online, confirmed crew list not required — but it has to be by July 31 to be eligible for the photo book drawing.

A star-studded cast of teams is expected including 2008 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Terry Hutchinson, the local grand prix rock star who won the Melges 24 North Americans in Annapolis last year, plus reigning world champions Lorenzo Bressani and Lorenzo Santini on Uka Uka Racing, who have added U.S. Olympic medallist Jonathan McKee to their crew to call tactics. 

COCKTAIL HOUR 
The prize-winner will be picked at a cocktail party for friends of the Melges 24 Worlds at 6 p.m. Monday, August 10 at EYC. Those that attend will witness the unveiling of the official regatta poster by EYC's own Sara Proctor and enjoy a premier showing of Tucker Thompson’s Melges 24 DVD, produced specially for the event. Potential donors and sponsors are welcome to attend (a $50 minimum donation is greatly appreciated). Other raffle items include club-level tickets to a Raven-Jets football game with parking, high-tech foul weather gear, plus many other items. Please join the crowd at the club for hors d’ouevres, drinks and a glimpse of what’s coming to EYC. 

If you can’t make it but still want to get involved, contact Regatta Chair Liz Filter, who is actively seeking sponsors, donors and volunteers. This is a big deal — a major world championship in an extremely competitive international class featuring some of the top sailors in the world. The more people that get involved, the better it will be. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
The 2009 Melges 24 World Championship is sponsored by official apparel sponsors Coral Reef Sailing Apparel & Gill, and transportation partner Latis Yachting Solutions.

Other supporting sponsors include T2P.tv, Boatyard Bar and Grill, Sam's Waterfront Cafe, Pusser’s Caribbean Grille at the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront, Team Barbarians, Cindy Cady Photography,North Sails One Design, SailFastPhoto, ABS Architects, PantherVision, Chesapeake Bay Roasting Co., SheSails, Inc., Annapolis Roads and Kathryn M. Weber, CPA. This event is also supported by theInternational Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA), the U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA) and the Annapolis Melges 24 Fleet #22.

The Melges 24 Class and Eastport Yacht Club are extremely proud to be partnered with these outstanding companies and sincerely thank them for their generous support of the 2009 Worlds.

Sponsorship opportunities still exist and tax deductible donations are also being accepted; please contact 2009 World Championship Regatta Chair Liz Filter if you would like to make a gift. 

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Visit the official event website at www.melges24worlds2009.com for more information on the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship. Also, visit the Eastport Yacht Club online.

The Melges 24 is designed by Reichel Pugh and considered the most unique one design sportboat in the world as well as one of the fastest-growing classes of high performance yachts. For more information, visit the official class websites of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)and U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA).

For more information or press photos, please contact:
Joy Dunigan
U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA)
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Chair
Class Communications Director | Executive Secretary
+1 (912) 398-5776
Skype: joysavannah

Justin Chisholm 
International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Officer
+44 7769 938722
Skype: justinchis 

Fiona Brown
International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)
Administrator 
+44 (0) 7711 718470
Skype: fpbrown

Nancy Noyes
Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) 
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Officer
+1 (410) 263-5028